The Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness and Goodness

The Fruit of the Spirit – The Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness and Kindness and

GoodnessGoodness

Is our God making a mark on us?Is our God making a mark on us?

• We continue to emphasize that all of the We continue to emphasize that all of the words we are looking at are a singular words we are looking at are a singular result (fruit) of the work of God’s Spirit in result (fruit) of the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. our lives. (Gal 5:22-23)(Gal 5:22-23)


• Galatians 5:22-23Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the - But the fruit of the Spirit is Spirit is lovelove, , joyjoy, , peacepeace, , longsufferinglongsuffering,, kindnesskindness, , goodnessgoodness, , faithfulnessfaithfulness, 23, 23 gentlenessgentleness, , self-controlself-control. Against such . Against such there is no law.there is no law.


• These changes occur in the heart and are These changes occur in the heart and are seen in the life of every Christian that learns seen in the life of every Christian that learns to yield to God and grows up!to yield to God and grows up!

• This kind of change is very distinct from the This kind of change is very distinct from the spirit which comes from the world. spirit which comes from the world.

• Have you received this mark of the Spirit of Have you received this mark of the Spirit of God?God?

• It is important to ask if who we really are is It is important to ask if who we really are is being changed. being changed. (2 Cor 1:21-22)(2 Cor 1:21-22)


• 2 Corinthians 1:21-222 Corinthians 1:21-22 - Now He who - Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us anointed us is is God, 22 who also has God, 22 who also has sealed ussealed us and given us the Spirit in our and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.hearts as a guarantee.


• ““You know to whom a coin belongs by the You know to whom a coin belongs by the imprint on it!”imprint on it!”

The fruit of the Spirit – KindnessThe fruit of the Spirit – Kindness

• What is kindness? (1) as a gracious What is kindness? (1) as a gracious attitude attitude goodness, kindness goodness, kindness (RO 2.4).. (2) (RO 2.4).. (2) as moral integrity as moral integrity uprightness, honesty uprightness, honesty (2C 6.6); (2C 6.6); … … do what is right do what is right (RO 3.12) (RO 3.12) – – FribergFriberg

• ““the sympathetic kindness or sweetness of the sympathetic kindness or sweetness of temper which outs others at ease, and temper which outs others at ease, and shrinks from giving pain.” – Plummershrinks from giving pain.” – Plummer


• It is from this attribute that we know God It is from this attribute that we know God will forgive us. We also must have this will forgive us. We also must have this attribute in order for us to forgive.attribute in order for us to forgive.

• Have you ever known others that you are Have you ever known others that you are convinced has no use for you?convinced has no use for you?

• In the Old Testament this word is used of In the Old Testament this word is used of God more than anyone else.God more than anyone else.


• If all we knew about God that He was If all we knew about God that He was morally upright then this aspect of His morally upright then this aspect of His holiness could bring us into despair at our holiness could bring us into despair at our own sinfulness.own sinfulness.

• When we know that God is kind, then we When we know that God is kind, then we realize that in spite of our “falling short” realize that in spite of our “falling short” that our God wants to aid us! that our God wants to aid us! (Ps 106:1)(Ps 106:1)


• Psalm 106:1Psalm 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for thanks to the LORD, for He is He is goodgood! For ! For His mercy His mercy endures endures foreverforever..


• It is this quality in our God that draws men It is this quality in our God that draws men to Him! to Him! (Ps 69:16-17; 100:4-5; 109:21)(Ps 69:16-17; 100:4-5; 109:21)


• Psalm 69:16-17Psalm 69:16-17 - Hear me, O LORD, for - Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness Your lovingkindness is is goodgood; Turn to me ; Turn to me according to according to the multitude of Your tender the multitude of Your tender merciesmercies. 17 And do not hide Your face . 17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant, from Your servant, For I am in troubleFor I am in trouble; ; Hear me speedily.Hear me speedily.


• Psalm 100:4-5Psalm 100:4-5 - Enter into His gates with - Enter into His gates with thanksgivingthanksgiving, , And And into His courts with into His courts with praisepraise. Be . Be thankfulthankful to Him, to Him, and and blessbless His His name. 5 For the LORD name. 5 For the LORD is is good; good; His mercy His mercy is is everlastingeverlasting, And , And His truth His truth endures endures to all to all generationsgenerations..


• Psalm 109:21Psalm 109:21 - But You, O GOD the - But You, O GOD the Lord, Deal with me Lord, Deal with me for Your name's sakefor Your name's sake; ; Because Because Your mercy Your mercy is is goodgood, deliver me., deliver me.


• Who can you go to when you are in deep Who can you go to when you are in deep trouble? Who will help you when you come trouble? Who will help you when you come to Him without excuses and with a broken to Him without excuses and with a broken heart?heart?

• This kindness brings needed instructions This kindness brings needed instructions that are “harsh” to the one who does not that are “harsh” to the one who does not trust God! trust God! (Ps 119:65-68)(Ps 119:65-68)


• Psalm 119:65-68Psalm 119:65-68 - You have dealt well - You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. 66 Your word. 66 Teach me good judgment Teach me good judgment and knowledgeand knowledge, For I believe Your , For I believe Your commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your wordI went astray, But now I keep Your word. . 68 You 68 You are are good, and do good; good, and do good; Teach me Teach me Your statutesYour statutes..


• The grace of God and the law of God do The grace of God and the law of God do go hand in hand.go hand in hand.


• Men cannot see their sinfulness without Men cannot see their sinfulness without the truth of God opening a heart to see a the truth of God opening a heart to see a painful reality. Those who know the painful reality. Those who know the kindness of God do not fear this!kindness of God do not fear this!

• Men think they are kinder than God by Men think they are kinder than God by withholding needed teaching. We need to withholding needed teaching. We need to be reminded of the kindness of God as be reminded of the kindness of God as seen in Jesus. seen in Jesus. (Mk 10:21-22)(Mk 10:21-22)


• Mark 10:21-22Mark 10:21-22 - Then Jesus, - Then Jesus, looking at looking at him, loved himhim, loved him, and , and said to himsaid to him, "One , "One thing you lack: thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Meup the cross, and follow Me." 22 But ." 22 But he he was sad at this wordwas sad at this word, and went away , and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.sorrowful, for he had great possessions.


• Please do not fear for the lost or our Please do not fear for the lost or our brethren to hear plain Bible teaching.brethren to hear plain Bible teaching.


• God’s kindness is universal and God’s kindness is universal and unconditional. unconditional. (Lk 6:35)(Lk 6:35)


• Luke 6:35Luke 6:35 - "But - "But love your enemieslove your enemies, do , do good, and lend, good, and lend, hoping for nothing in hoping for nothing in returnreturn; and your reward will be great, and ; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. you will be sons of the Most High. For He For He is kind to the unthankful and evilis kind to the unthankful and evil..


• Anyone who has given accurate thought to Anyone who has given accurate thought to this can see it. this can see it. (Ps 85:12; 104:27-28)(Ps 85:12; 104:27-28)


• Psalm 85:12Psalm 85:12 - Yes, the LORD will give - Yes, the LORD will give what is what is good; And our good; And our land will yield its land will yield its increase.increase.


• Psalm 104:27-28Psalm 104:27-28 - These all wait for - These all wait for You, That You, That You may give You may give them them their food in their food in due seasondue season. 28 . 28 What What You give them You give them they they gather ingather in; ; You open Your handYou open Your hand, they are , they are filled with goodfilled with good..


• God also in His kindness brings judgments God also in His kindness brings judgments and removes needed provisions so that and removes needed provisions so that man might be humbled and return to Him. man might be humbled and return to Him.

• We must be reminded of the certainty of We must be reminded of the certainty of this kindness and the purpose behind it.this kindness and the purpose behind it.

• Men can view God’s kindness as Men can view God’s kindness as weakness or as a reason to continue in weakness or as a reason to continue in sin. sin. (Rom 2:4-5)(Rom 2:4-5)


• Romans 2:4-5Romans 2:4-5 - Or do you despise the - Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that longsuffering, not knowing that the the goodness of God leads you to goodness of God leads you to repentancerepentance? 5 But in accordance with ? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,righteous judgment of God,


• Are you and I kind like this?Are you and I kind like this?


• Do you relish the thought of punishing those Do you relish the thought of punishing those who have hurt you?who have hurt you?

• Have you cast off others as trash and wish Have you cast off others as trash and wish for bad things to happen to them? for bad things to happen to them?

• Are you willing and glad to be used as a Are you willing and glad to be used as a tool for bringing tool for bringing anyoneanyone back to God? back to God?

• Do you often think about how you can Do you often think about how you can better express yourself to others? better express yourself to others? (Col (Col 4:6)4:6)


• Colossians 4:6Colossians 4:6 - - Let Let your your speechspeech always always be be with gracewith grace, , seasoned with saltseasoned with salt, that you , that you may know may know how you ought to answerhow you ought to answer each each one.one.

The fruit of the Spirit – GoodnessThe fruit of the Spirit – Goodness

• What is goodness? Some contrast this What is goodness? Some contrast this word as ‘doing’ the kindness that is in word as ‘doing’ the kindness that is in the heart. the heart.

• Goodness - (1) as a quality of moral Goodness - (1) as a quality of moral excellence excellence being good, goodness, being good, goodness, uprightness uprightness (RO 15.14); (2) as a quality of (RO 15.14); (2) as a quality of relationship with others relationship with others willingness to give willingness to give or or share, generosity, goodness share, generosity, goodness (GA 5.22) (GA 5.22) – Frieberg– Frieberg


• If there is a real will in our heart to do If there is a real will in our heart to do something, then we will do it! something, then we will do it! (2 Thess 2:16-17)(2 Thess 2:16-17)


• 2 Thessalonians 2:16-172 Thessalonians 2:16-17 - Now may our - Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given and Father, who has loved us and given us us everlasting consolation and good hope everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you establish you in every good word and in every good word and workwork..


• We are to be “filled” with it! It is to abound! We are to be “filled” with it! It is to abound! (Eph 5:8-9)(Eph 5:8-9)


• Ephesians 5:8-9Ephesians 5:8-9 - - For you were For you were once once darknessdarkness, but now , but now you are you are light in the light in the LordLord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the . Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit fruit of the Spirit is is in in all goodness, all goodness, righteousness, and truthrighteousness, and truth),),


• These things imply finding truth, having a These things imply finding truth, having a zeal for what is right and being willing to zeal for what is right and being willing to stand for it. stand for it.


• ““Zeal for goodness and truth, in rebuking, Zeal for goodness and truth, in rebuking, correcting and chastening.” – Trenchcorrecting and chastening.” – Trench

• Do you remember when you first became Do you remember when you first became a Christian? a Christian? (Rom 15:14)(Rom 15:14)


• Romans 15:14Romans 15:14 - Now I myself am - Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are that you also are full of goodnessfull of goodness, , filled filled with all knowledgewith all knowledge, , able also to admonish able also to admonish one anotherone another..


• I wanted to be filled with knowledge and I wanted to be filled with knowledge and discernment. Why? I wanted others to discernment. Why? I wanted others to know God and see Him.know God and see Him.

• I also wanted to strengthen other I also wanted to strengthen other Christians on the basis of truth.Christians on the basis of truth.

• Are some of my brethren forsaking Are some of my brethren forsaking goodness so they might not “offend” goodness so they might not “offend” those caught up in politically favorable those caught up in politically favorable sins?sins?


• ““In our quest for knowledge, beware of In our quest for knowledge, beware of becoming smarter than God. becoming smarter than God. In our quest for tolerance, beware of In our quest for tolerance, beware of becoming more lenient than God.becoming more lenient than God.In our quest for civility, beware of In our quest for civility, beware of becoming nicer than God.” becoming nicer than God.” – Ed Bragwell– Ed Bragwell


• When other begin to see our God in us we When other begin to see our God in us we will be treated like Jesus was! Many will will be treated like Jesus was! Many will despise us and some will open their hearts despise us and some will open their hearts to us.to us.

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The Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness and Goodness